The Durango High School boys basketball team relied on its defense all of Tuesday night against Pagosa Springs, especially down the stretch before closing out a 50-45 win.
Height and size aren’t on Durango’s roster this year, but the team is full of athletic basketball players. This was on display on Tuesday night, as the Demons forced a ton of turnovers and took advantage of Pagosa Springs’ butter fingers for easy offensive scores.
However, Pagosa Springs hung around and nearly stole the game. Junior guard King Kerlin had a key steal, and the Demons forced an offensive foul to keep possession and eventually seal the game with free throws.
“We had a long weekend,” Durango head coach Alan Batiste said. “So it was good for the boys to get a win. I’m proud of them. … That was a good win to be able to go into league and be ready to go.”
Durango improved to 4-6 overall after the win. The Demons were coming off two losses in Canon City by an average of 18 points. Kerlin led the Demons with 12 points, and junior Boaz Zastrocky added 10 points for the Demons.
Pagosa Springs dropped to 2-7 overall after the loss. Senior guard Creede Dozier led the Pirates with 14 points.
It was a lively start to the game with lots of energy from both benches and the student section. There was a lot to cheer about with steals and good defense from the Demons, leading to good scoring opportunities. Batiste had five early points, and Kerlin hit a nice step-back 3-pointer for a 10-6 lead with three minutes left in the first.
The strong defense continued as it seemed like every Demon on the court was powered by the Energizer Bunny. Durango also had strong inside passing lead to good looks in the paint and a 16-8 lead after the first quarter.
“Our defense is amazing; I’m really proud of our defense,” Batiste said. “We’re just trying to focus on the offense. That’s been our nemesis.”
Durango’s great start continued with a 23-10 lead with 5:15 left in the half. The Demons were hitting their outside shots and forcing turnover after turnover against Pagosa Springs players who couldn’t figure out what the right pass was. The Pirates eventually calmed down as Durango started to struggle to run sets in the halfcourt. Durango led 27-19 at the half.
Pagosa Springs switched to a zone defense to start the third quarter, which took Durango a little time to adjust to. On the other hand, the Pirates stopped turning the ball over and found some offensive success inside the paint. An old-fashioned 3-point play cut Durango’s lead to 28-24 with 5:15 left in the third.
“We struggled a little bit … I knew they would zone us a little bit, but I didn’t see that coming,” Batiste said. “We didn’t shoot the ball well, but we’ll shoot the ball better.”
Kerlin had the answer by penetrating the zone for strong finishes inside. Durango’s defense picked up to the level it was in the first half, and the Demons led 38-30 after three quarters.
Pagosa Springs, specifically Dozier, did a good job of penetrating the Durango defense to finish or assist. He hit a 3-pointer to cut the Durango lead to 41-39 with 3:50 left. The Demons couldn’t get their offense going, and a free-throw by Pagosa Springs tied the game at 43.
“The biggest thing is less turnovers and protecting the basketball,” Batiste said. “That’s really been our focus for the season … It is the youthfulness; it is the immaturity … I’ve got 11 16-year-olds. They have to figure it out.”
Up 44-43 with less than two minutes left. Durango could’ve held the ball, but decided to take a 3-pointer, much to Batiste’s dismay.
Luckily, Durango got the offensive rebound and was eventually fouled. Durango made enough free throws to escape the foul game Pagosa Springs was playing at the end of the game.
Durango hits the road to play at Grand Junction Central on Friday at 7 p.m.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
